Catskill State Park, New York

Camping in the Catskills ranges from the North-South Lake campground to backcountry treks deep in the forest preserve. The Catskill mountains are great for hiking, skiing, and fly-fishing and both the State Park and the Forest Preserve are only a few hours from New York City.

On hot summer days, hike to Kaaterskill Falls, where you can jump in for a swim at the bottom of the 260-foot-high falls. Peekamoose Blue Hole in Sundown Wild Forest is another epic summertime swimming spot rated among the best in the United States. For fishing and creek exploring, visit Bear Spring Mountain Campground or Beaverkill Campground. If you’re hiking Slide Mountain—the tallest peak in the Catskill range at 4,180 feet, stay at Woodland Valley Campground, which provides access to a number of great trails. Among the oldest campgrounds in the Catskill Forest Preserve, Devil’s Tombstone Campground has primitive sites that are ideal for those looking to explore nearby peaks on foot.